The Preface to The picture of Dorian Grey was written by Oscar Wilde between 1890 and 1891, in order to defend the novel and, most of all to exploit his ideas about the artist and his artwork. Furthermore, it's considered the Manifesto of the Aesthetic Movement, as the writer express the concepts of art for art's sake and the coexistence in art of matter and form. Also, in the Preface Oscar Wilde criticizes the Victorian utilitarian conception of art, as in his opinion the artist should never be moralistic, as there are not moral or immoral books, or aimed by pedagogic purposes.
The message is conveyed by the use of repetitions and figures of speech.